


How to Train Your Dragonling

by scurvaliciousbay



Series: Inquisitor!Kass and Companion!Mel [8]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 14:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16874943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scurvaliciousbay/pseuds/scurvaliciousbay
Summary: Ashokara seeks out training buddies.





	How to Train Your Dragonling

“I want to learn how to fight,” Ash says. Mama’s out with Melarue and Solas and Bull on some trip. Mama leaves a lot these days, but Skyhold’s nice, there are some fun people she can run around with. Like Sera, Sera is lots of fun.

But Commander Cullen is absolutely not fun.

“No, your mother is not here. And besides you are…eight and…not big enough,” he says. Ashokara sniffs.

“I’m almost as big as Uthvir, and  _they_  fight.”

“Yes, well, they’re an adult.” And that is apparently when he decides he’s done talking with the Inquisitor’s daughter and heads off with some other human messenger. 

Ash grunts angrily and smoke puffs out of her nose, like a dragon. Just like a dragon, except that no one is teaching her how to actually  _be_  a dragon! It’s so frustrating, all she wants to do is help and to actually…do what she feels like she should be doing with her magic. The old Circle marms don’t get it, she’s not a peaceful, happy, healing mage - she’s…fire. And she wants to  _use_  that fire, but every time she tries to express that desire they get all concerned that she’s going to end up like some old poor mage they once knew, blah blah blah. 

She’s not bad for wanting to use her magic in the way that it naturally manifests, she doesn’t think. And she doesn’t want to force herself to use the magic that doesn’t come naturally to her - like spirit magic. Spirit magic makes absolutely no sense to her, and Cole even tried to help her a big with it because of his whole…spirit weirdness. But primal, fire and even some of the other elements - those make sense. 

It also seems like the appropriate time to learn how to fight, she thinks. She’s been asking ever since Haven and Melarue has shown her some things when it comes to daggers, but they’re gone almost as frequently as Mama. She’s asked others - Solas, Vivienne, Dorian. Madame Vivienne showed Ash how to construct a barrier from more primal based magic. Dorian, while very powerful even with his weird Tevinter-ness, was very flourishy and not really the best teacher all things considered. Solas tried but quickly found that Ash’s magic is so different from his that he had trouble teaching her. 

Ash finally gave up and switched tactics - if she can’t learn fighting magic, she can learn how to use a sword or a spear or a…hammer or something. But apparently Commander Cullen is completely against the idea, or maybe he’s lying for ease because he’s already so busy. Whatever the reason, he told her no. 

But she will not be deterred, she is the Inquisitor’s daughter after all. 

Ashokara heads out after the training group, grabbing what looks to be a practice sword on the way. Or at least, she tries to pick it up. It’s  _heavy_! She never thought they were this heavy, sure it’s metal but…Mama wields swords almost twice this size and doesn’t even blink at the weight. 

_Mama is very strong._

_“_ What exactly are you trying to accomplish?” A low voice asks from behind her. Ash yips, drops the sword, and spins around to see Uthvir standing there, arms crossed and mouth quirked into a smirk. 

“Uuh,” she stammers.

“Because it looks like you’re trying to pick up that training sword and go practice with the soldiers after being told ‘no’,” they say and she darts her eyes to the side.

“It’s not like I was gonna hurt anybody.”

“Except yourself. You’ll wrench your arm and throw your back if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Well, it’s not like I didn’t ask anybody to teach me! Everyone said no or gave up! But I’m not gonna give up so I’m trying!” She declares though she thinks it comes out whinier than intended. But she doesn’t back down and crosses her arms, lifting her chin in defiance. But Uthvir doesn’t seemed offended or upset at all, instead their smirk turns more into a smile and they uncross their arms.

“I never said that it was a bad idea, dragonling. I can show you how to fight.”

Wait, did they really just say that? Ash blinks at them.

“Wait, really? You don’t think I’m too young or small or I don’t need to?” She asks quickly.

“You’re eight, which is old enough to me for this weird world we live in. No, you’re not too small, and you’re the inquisitor’s daughter. You’re a target, you should know how to defend yourself at least,” they summarize, counting on their gauntlet clad fingers. 

“That’s what I said! But nobody listened to me!” She exclaimed, holding out her hands. 

Uthvir turned and waved for her to follow of their shoulder, “Come along then.” 

She hurries quickly after them, almost tripping over the practice sword before jumping away. She’s…really going to do it, then. And Uthvir of all people is going to show her!

They’re usually not around that much, they keep to themselves for the most part, only heading out when the scouts really need them, though Ash isn’t entirely sure what it is they do. 

But they’re going to teach her! 

“What weapons are we going to use? Do you use sword or daggers or big swords and axes or spears and what are those things with the three pointy things? Melarue sometimes uses a whip, do you use a whip?” She rambles.

Uthvir doesn’t reply as she rambles on, questioning them about everything. Instead they just lead her to a smaller courtyard, located further back from the stables. 

“Oh! Maybe a mace! Something to clobber someone!” She says excitedly. 

They nod, “That does sound exciting. Now give me twenty push-ups.”

Her brow furrows in confusion, “What?”

“Did I stutter? I said do twenty push-ups!” 

She blinks and does the translation in her head, it’s not exactly a common phrase -

“Ashokara -

“Oh!” One of  _those_! She drops to her hands and feet and begins to raise and lower herself as instructed. Uthvir corrects her form many times and when she’s done, her arms are aching a bit. Next they tell her to do twenty sit-ups, which she does. Her tummy aches, but she gets through it. 

And then comes the  _running_. So much running! Why is there so much running?

By the end of the day, she hasn’t even touched a weapon but her body is aching and exhausted. They tell her good work and they’ll see her tomorrow but oh, she doesn’t know if there’s going to be a tomorrow if she can’t peel herself off the ground. 

But she manages to get up and Josephine finds her and ends up eating with her. Josie rambles on about documents and things and gives Ash new things to practice her reading on, but really at this point, she just wants to sleep. 

She practically collapses into Mama’s bed and sleeps so deeply that not even demons touch her dreams.

The next day brings with it ravenous hunger and aches and pains. But Uthvir is unrelenting as they make her run, jump, and whatever else they deem necessary to build her up to working with actual weapons. 

But they tell her that they think that’s enough for the day by lunch time and they go back to their duties while she is left to recover and return to her actual magical studies. 

The old Circle marms tell her she’s late and she shrugs.

“Important Inquisitor’s Daughter’s business, you know,” she says and it’s not like they can really do anything. 

And so training with Uthvir goes. She rises early, eats breakfast with them and then they train. At some point, training gets easier, but then they realize that she isn’t quite so winded, so they make it a tad more difficult. 

Mama and Melarue come back to Skyhold after three weeks away, and they are quick to monopolize her time. But Ash isn’t complaining, she’s missed them and she does cling to Mama for the first couple days she’s back. They all sup together in Mama’s rooms and Ash tells them about how Uthvir has been training her and how great it is. Mama doesn’t even get mad and neither does Melarue, but Mama does look a little sad and says she’s sorry for not being able to train her herself. 

“Uthvir’s really great, too, Mama. They know a lot.”

She cuddles Mama extra-long that night and asks for three stories instead of her normal two. 

The fourth day she resumes training with Uthvir…and Melarue decides to observe. They tell Uthvir to lighten up a bit, that while she needs to learn to defend herself, running an eight-year-old into the ground is not how you do things. 

“Just because she is almost the same size as you does not mean she can handle the things you or an adult elf can - she is a child,” they warn and Uthvir…listens. In their own way, Ash guesses. 

Her regimens become longer but less intense and much more manageable. 

A week later and Ash walks into the courtyard to find them holding two long wooden rods that she’s seen the soldiers use from time to time. They hand one to her and she tests the weight, finding it to be sturdy but not too heavy, not like the practice sword all those weeks ago.

“Are we -

“Mages use staves, correct? You should know how to use one  _correctly_ , not like those inept fools in the rebellion,” they say with a bit more bite than she’s used to. But then they start showing her the proper stance and way to hold the staff. They move to basic moves and generally getting her comfortable with it. 

Ash is sweating by the end of their session, but grinning wildly. She really wants to hug them, but refrains, they’re seem to be extra spiky today and she takes that as a cue. 

But then  someone walks into the courtyard and Uthvir stops what they’re doing and looks around a little…sheepishly?

“Uthvir, are you…?”

“She is a target, she needs to know how to defend herself,” they immediately respond to Aili’s probing question. But Ash smirks.

“They totally offered to train me! Isn’t it great?” She says.

Aili looks back over at Uthvir who is scowling at her. They stalk over to her and take the practice staff away.

“That is enough for today, I have many things to do other than babysitting -

“Hey! You said we were training buddies and that this is way better than sitting around filing stupid reports that don’t mean anything!” She quickly defends. 

“Training buddies?” Aili asks.

“I did not say that!”

“Uh yes, you did. You said it last week when I was tired and didn’t think I could run four more laps and said that you had more important things to do than train me. You said I’m your training buddy and that this is much more fun than sitting around,” she counters. A hush falls over the courtyard and Uthvir purses their lips. 

“You’re nice!” Aili suddenly says.

“NO! This is practical!” They immediately shoot back.

Ash blinks and shrugs, “Why can’t it be both?” The adults quiet for a moment. 

“You’re niiiiiiice!” Aili says again. 

“Stop saying that!” They object again.

“I’m confused, is being nice a bad thing?” Ashokara asks.

“No, being nice is a very good thing, be nice…like Uthvir,” Aili responds. Ash furrows her brow.

“So…I should cover myself in spikes, say ‘fuck’ a lot but do nice things for people even when they don’t ask?” The adults pause at that and Aili’s face turns red.

“I would leave the spikes and cursing out, but yes! Just like that!” Aili nods and looks vaguely victorious while Uthvir lets out an exasperated breath. 

“I could always train with you too, you know.” Aili says after a moment. Both Uthvir and Ash startle at that and Ash breaks into a big grin. 

“Really?!”

Aili smiles at Ash and lifts her hand, bright orange flames suddenly bursting to life in her palm. Ash squeals and runs over to Aili, throwing her arms around her.

“You’re like me!” 

The elf staggers a bit but hugs Ash back. She’s warm like Ash is and she smells like flowers which is nice too. 

“You’ll let me set fire to things?” She asks.

“Targets, sure! How else do you learn how to control fire?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Ash declares. She turns back to face Uthvir who has finished putting their things up. She makes a circle with her arms and leans in, tilting her head.

“What are you doing?” They ask.

“Air hugs! You don’t like touching hugs, so air hugs!” Ash declares proudly before hugging Aili again. She closes her eyes in happiness, she has training buddies now! Two of them! 

**Author's Note:**

> Uthvir belongs to Feynite.
> 
> Aili belongs to Little_Lotte.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
